Fluid pressure regulating device



194 c. F. SEMON ET,AL 2,215,597

FLUID PRESSURE REGULA'IING DEVICE 7 Filed Sept. 28, 1937 INVENTORS czg (1/ 04am ATTO NEY Patented Sept. 24, 1940 PATENT OFFICE FLUID PRES SURE REGULATIN G DEVICE Charles F. Semon and Albert L. Semon, East Orange, N. J.

Application September 28, 1937, Serial No. 166,047

2 Claims.

This invention relates to fluid pressure regulating devices wherein the flow of fluid is, automatically controlled by the pressure in one of two ports or ducts of the device, and it is the principal object of the invention to provide a device capable of being regulated by a low pressure without causing vibration and chattering of the different operating parts which occur in the devices now in commercial use.

In the persent devices in commercial use, it is the practice to connect or unite each of the operating parts to each other, so that the movement of each part is in a fixed path. It is another object of the present invention to provide a pressure regulating device wherein the different parts loosely engage each other to permit each part to aline itself relative to the mounting thereof independently of the movement of the other parts which will assure the positive actuation of the parts and prevent undue wear thereof. The loose engagement of the different parts with each other will also permit ready replacement of the parts when they become worn or unfit for use.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will be set forth in detail hereinafter.

In the drawing accompanying and forming a part of this application,

Figure 1 is an elevational view of the device forming the embodiment of this invention.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal section taken on the line 2-2 of Figur 3.

Figure 3 is a longitudinal section taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 1; and

Figure 4 is a view looking at the top of a member of the device to show means for slidably mounting a stem for operatively connecting a diaphragm with a flow control valve.

The embodiment of the invention illustrated in 40 the accompanying drawing consists of a casing 5 having a chamber 6 and a pair of ports 1, 8, one of said ports being in open communication with the chamber 6 and the other port being in valve controlled communication with the chamber. The casing 5 comprises a pair of releasably connected members 9, II), the member 9 being arranged with the ports I, 8 in the form of horizontal alined bosses internally screw threaded for connection in a pipe line, not shown. An end portion of the member 9 midway of the bosses I, 8 is arranged with a screw threaded opening ll leading to a circular recess or chamber l2 opening to the boss 1 and shut off from the boss 1 8 by a wall l3. as shown in Figure 2. The end 55 of the member 9 opposite the opening H 'is arranged with a circular disk shaped recess H of a diameter substantially equal to the distance between the outer ends of the bosses 1, 8, as shown in Figure 2. The chamber l2 and boss I are in communication with the recess I through a bore or passage in vertical alinement with the opening ll having the end entering the recess ll of increased bowl shaped diameter, as at IS, in Figure 2, and the opposite end of the bore being of increased diameter and screw threaded, as at I6, for a purpose to be hereinafter described. The boss 8 is in open communication with the recess I through a passage or opening II in the wall of the recess adjacent the bore portion l5, as shown in Figure 2. 15

The other casing member II) is in the form of a cap having a skirt portion l1 adapted to be engaged on and releasably connected to the exterior wall of the recess I4, as by screw threads, as show at l8 in Figures 2 and 3. The member m III has an annular recess 19 extending from a horizontal portion 20 adjacent the skirt l1, and leading to a cylindrical portion 2| centrally of and forming the closed end of the cap member It]. .It will be seen that by assembling the casing 35 members 9 and III to each other, the recesses l4 and IQ of said members, respectively, will form the casing chamber 6.

In the present embodiment of the invention, the port in the boss I constitutes the inlet to the 30 casing chamber 6 and the port in the boss 8 is the outlet from the casing chamber. It is the function of the device to maintain a flow of a predetermined quantity of fluid, such as water, oil, air or gas, through the pipe line in which 35 the device is connected, and to automatically shut ofl" said flow when a predetermined amount of pressure is created in the section of the pipe line connected to the boss 8.

This is accomplished by a valve controlling 40 the communication between the chamber l2 and casing chamber 6 through the bore l5, IS. The valve is in the form of a cup shaped member 22 slidably mounted in an elongated recess 23 in a plug member 24 having an exterior annular shoulder 25 extending intermediate the opposite ends thereof and said member 24 having an end portion extending from the shoulder screw threaded for releasable engagement with the screw threads of the opening II. The plug is engaged in the opening II with the shoulder 25 abutting a flat portion of the casing member 9 encircling the opening II, and to facilitate the abutting of the shoulder with said flat face to provide a fluid tight Joint, as at 26, the outer end I of the plug is of hexagonal shape for the application of a wrench, as shown at 21 in Figure 1. The chamber l2 and recess 23 in the plug 24 constitute a valve chamber. The valve 22 is slidably mounted in the plug 24 with the cup or recessed portion of the valve facing the recess 23 of the plug, and the outer face of the bottom of the valve has an annular recess for the mounting of an annular face of yielding material, such as rubber, as shown at 28. The annular face 28 is ada ted to engage an annular valve seat 29 arranged at the end of a bushing 30 releasably engaged in the screw threaded portion N5 of the passage between the casing chamber 5 and the chamber |2. The bushing 3|) is arranged with hexagonal shoulder 3| adjacent the valve seat 29 to facilitate the engagement thereof in the bore portion IS. The face 28 is yieldingly en gaged with the seat 29 to close communication between the casing chamber 5 and the valve chamber I2, 23 by a spiral spring 32 engaged in and compressed between the valve 22 and plug 24. lhe screw threaded mounting of the bushing 30 will permit ready renewal of a worn valve seat 29.

It will be seen that the valve 22 will ordinarily shut off the flow of fluid through the device, and

means are provided to maintain the valve face 28' out of engagement with the valve seat 29 under a pressure responsive force which will permit the seating of the valve by the force of spring 32 when pressure above a predetermined degree is present in the outlet port 8. This means comprises a disk diaphragm 33 of flexible material, such as rubber fabric, having the peripheral portion clamped between the end of the wall of recess M of casing member 9 and the horizontal portion 20 of the casing member ID, so that the diaphragm will extend between the recesses l4 and I9 and divide the chamber 6 into two parts, the part formed by the diaphragm and the recess |4 receiving the fluid from the inlet port I. To provide a fluid tight joint between the casing members 9 and I0, an annular gasket 34 is interposed between the diaphragm and the end of the wall of recess l4. The diaphragm is loosely connected to the valve 22 by a stem or rod member 35 having a flat or disk like head 36 at one end and the opposite end being conical or pointed. The stem is slidably mounted in a boss 31 supported in spaced alinement with the passage l5, "5 by a pair of vertical arms 38 integral with the casing member 9 and extending from diametrically opposite portions of the passage portion IS. The stem is mounted in the boss with the head 35 positioned between the boss 31 and the diaphragm 33 to be loosely engaged by the adjacent face of the diaphragm, and the diameter and length of the body portion of the stem will permit the stem to extend through the bore l5, l5 and the valve seat bushing 30 and engage the pointed end of the stem in a conical recess in the bottom end of the valve 22 concentrically of the face 28 and the vertex thereof being of a greater angle than the angle of the pointed end of the stem, as at 39, to permit free movement of the stem relative to the valve without affecting the point contact between the stem and valve. The opening in the boss 31 is elliptical in line with the arms 38, as shown in Figure 4, whereby the stem 35 may have cantlng movement to permit the pointed end thereof to engage the vertex of the recess 39 at all times even when the valve 22 fits loosely in the recess 23 or when an uneven pressure is applied to the face of the diaphragm opposite the face engaging the stem head 36.

The diaphragm 33 is predeterminedly positioned to actuate the stem 35 and position the valve 22 in spaced relation with the valve seat 29 to permit a predetermined flow of fluid from the inlet port boss I through the casing chamber 5 to the outlet port boss 8. The quantity of fluid passing through the chamber 6 is determined by the space between the valve and valve seat. This is accomplished by a spiral spring 40 of greater tensile strength than the valve spring 32, seated in a cup shaped retainer or carrier 4| having a center recess therein for the engagement of one end of the spring, as at 42, and having an annular flange 43 extending laterally from the bottom of the retainer to loosely engage the face of the diaphragm opposite the face engaged by the stem head 36, the diameter of the flange being slightly less than the diameter of the diaphragm to transmit the force of the spring 40 evenly to the diaphragm. The diameter of the body of the retainer 4| is slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the cylindrical portion 2| to permit the sliding mounting of the retainer in the cylindrical portion. The end of the spring 40 opposite the end seated in the recess 42 is arranged with a cap in the form of a disk having a center protuberance engaging in the coil of the spring with the body of the cap abutting the end of the spring, as shown at 44. The cap 44 normally abuts the end of the cylindrical portion 2| under the force of the spring and is arranged to be engaged by the pointed end of an adjusting screw 45 mounted in a screw threaded opening in the center of the closed end of the cylindrical portion 2| and the screw is retained in adjusted position by a locking nut 46.

In operation the adjusting screw 45 is adjusted to compress the spring 40 to a predetermined degree whereby the diaphragm is flexed to actuate the stem 35 and position the valve 22 a predetermined distance from the valve seat 29, whereby fluid flows through the casing chamber from the inlet boss I to the outlet boss through the passage 11'. Should pressure develop in the section of the pipe line connected to the boss 8, which is greater than the force of the spring 40, the diaphragm is flexed to normal position which will permit the valve 22 to engage the valve seat 29 under the force of the spring 32, whereby the flow of fluid through the casing chamber 6 is stopped.

The loose connections between valve 22 and stem 35, the stem head 35 and diaphragm 35, the spring retainer or carrier 4| and the diaphragm 35, and the spring cap 44 and adjusting screw 45, will permit automatic alinement of said parts, whereby wear or looseness in the mounting of said parts will not effect the positive actuation of the parts.

It will be seen that any of the operative parts of the device may be replaced without affecting the actuation of the other parts which have not been replaced.

Having thus described our invention, we claim:

1. In a fluid pressure regulating device, 9. casing having a chamber intermediate the ends thereof, a pair of ports at one end of the casing, one of said ports being in open communication with the chamber, a member having a recess therein and removably mounted in the end of the casing intermediate the ports, the casing chamber having a passage in a wall thereof in axial alinement with the recess in the removable member and in communication with the other port, an annular valve seat in said passage fully exposed to the second port and facing the recess in the removable member, a valve comprising a cup shaped member slidably mounted in the recess in the removable member and having an exterior face on the bottom portion adapted to engage the valve seat, a spring engaged and compressed in the cap shaped valve member and the recess in the removable member to yieldingly urge the valve face into engagement with the valve seat, a boss mounted in the casing chamber and spaced from and in vertical alinement with the passage, a stem member slidably mounted in the boss having a portion extending through the passage and valve seat free of the walls thereof to engage the valve, a pressure responsive element mounted in the casing chamber and adapted to loosely engage the stem member, and means adjustably mounted in the end of the casing opposite the ports yieldingly connected with the pressure responsive element and adapted to be adjusted exteriorly of the casing to position the pressure responsive element toward and actuate the stem member and valve to open the passage of the casing chamber to the port in communication therewith.

2. In a fluid pressure regulating device, a casing having a chamber and a pair of ports, one of said ports being in open communication with the casing chamber, a valve chamber in communication with the casing chamber and the other port, a valve seat arranged between the casing and valve chambers in horizontal alinement with the second port, a cup shaped valve slidably mounted in the valve chamber and yieldingly urged to engage the valve seat and normally close the communication between the casing and valve chambers, a diaphragm mounted in the casing chamher to extend transversely thereof, a support mounted in the casing chamber in spaced relation to the valve seat, a stem having a fiat head at one end and the other end being of conical shape and the stem being slidably mounted in the support with the flat head adapted to engage a face of the diaphragm and the conical end adapted to engage the valve, and the head adapted to engage the stem support whereby the movement of the stem toward the valve is limited and the communication between the casing and valve chambers is the same in all positions of the stem, yielding means mounted in the casing chamber to engage the opposite face of the diaphragm, and a member adjustably mounted in the casing wall with a portion extending into the casing chamber to engage the yielding means and a portion extending exteriorly of the casing arranged for actuation of said member and the yielding means to flex the diaphragm and actuate the stem to position the valve out of engagement with the valve seat and open the communication between the casing and valve chambers.

ALBERT L. SEMON. CHARLES F. SEMON. 

